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the area where it's touching the top has a block under it anyway
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03-10-2019 07:11 AM
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Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo
Good to be reminded of the block there, does make it seem less critical.Last edited by Bromando; 03-10-2019 at 02:03 PM.
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2 pics about my '38 ES-150 and my '37 L50.
I wouldn't bother much about your tailpiece neither.
Best.Last edited by Fred Archtop; 03-10-2019 at 03:28 PM.
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Thanks, these are exactly the pics I was looking for!
As suspected my TP is clearly a bit F-ed up, probably not enough to worry about but I'm gonna ask a local archtop luthier about it when the guitar goes in for a checkup/new pickguard this week... Maybe it can be ever so gently bent to not dig into the top? Maybe the metal is too old to risk it, I'll leave it to his discretion.
Even on your L50, where the tailpiece is definitely touching the top, it just seems to be resting on top of it rather than actually digging into it. Your 150 looks ideal with visible light under the whole tailpiece.
I had forgotten about the block around the input jack however, with that kind of support I'm pretty sure any damage to the top has already been done and the crack next to the TP is probably incidental...
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I suspect that the lower of Fred's two photos is how the TP is supposed to be fitted. There may be some variation in the location of the screw holes and jack hole which accounts for this. If the holes are too high relative to the edge, the TP flexes over the binding towards the top. At the right height, the TP vertical face is pulled against the side of the guitar.
Might be you could loosen the screws and push the TP down a bit to make it look more like Fred's second one.
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Good point, I see what you mean. I do think this is the issue, never thought of the vertical orientation of the jack being the culprit but makes sense.
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BTW, that looks like good quality spring steel and not the cheapo stuff generally in use today. Probably hold for another 80 years.
Strings comparable to TI Bensons without the...
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